


INCOMING!

by p_o_u_n_c_e_r



Series: Lady Alys's In-Basket [8]
Category: Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold
Genre: E-mail, Etiquette, protocol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-25
Updated: 2017-04-25
Packaged: 2018-10-23 23:36:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10729620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/p_o_u_n_c_e_r/pseuds/p_o_u_n_c_e_r
Summary: An example of how good manners and traditional structure of communication enhances privacy and security





	INCOMING!

From: Lxxxx

To: Alys

 

I apologize.  You were correct in nearly every detail. Of course, and as usual. This sort of abuse never happened under your administration of the office. I am profoundly embarrassed to see it occur on my watch. I will of course do everything I can to make corrections. We are working closely with Guy to find the archive and delete it.  Obliterate it, preferably. The extracts already released are, I fear, irretrievable. My aunt informs me young Komarrans are already amusing themselves with a "Who's Who" game matching messages to gossip to history to news. 

 

I would, in mitigation of our problem, point out the messages released have all been rather old. The releases have also been wholly out of any chronological order and so provide the public fewer hints about sources and situations than might otherwise have been possible. Finally, please take note the merest fraction of your - the Protocol Office's -- archives have reached the public. Also, you will note, none of your -- our office's - OUTBOUND message traffic has been compromised. I can only conclude these perpetrators appear to be dribbling out their leak as a prank rather than sabotage. It is a kindness of the hackers, leakers, or whoever responsible that names have been partly disguised while header meta-information, including date stamps, have been wholly omitted. This gives us a fig leaf's worth of deniability, should we determine such denials appropriate. I will defer to your advice on that score.  It is not clear to me that their kindness will spare them the weight of Imperial Justice when I identify them.

 

Meanwhile, my staff and I are strenuously reviewing both security procedures and mechanical controls.  The current office can not repair the consequences of our regrettable laxity. But we can and will prevent future leaks of this sort. And I am confident we will do so by reinstating nearly every rule, tradition, and custom you established, that we have have, more recently, most regrettably, let lapse.

 

Except, of course, regarding top-posting.  From a security standpoint, what possible difference could it make?

 

I will keep you posted about the progress of the investigation,

 

Lxxxx

 

========= Original Message Follows ================

DISTRIBUTION LIST: ImpWed!

 

Re: Our Systems Administrator errors re leaks, security cables, and  "top-posting"

 

From: XXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX G-XXXXX I, XXXXXXX of XXXXXXXX; XXXXXXXXX for XXXXX; XXXXX to XXXXXXX, XXXX XXXXX XXXXX and XXXXXXXX in XXXXX of the XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXX,

 

To: The Secretary of the Imperial Office of Protocol

 

 

Hi Aunt Alys,

 

You wrote:

 

AvP:>>> _These antiques are both un-secured and user-hostile, and I insist they be replaced immediately._

 

Col VPxxxxxx replied **: >> Even if I agreed with you, new emergency-priority procurement would **

**> >take at least three weeks. And I happen to suspect your objections to the quoting and threading **

**> >features are clouding your judgment with regard to the security issue.  Please make do with the **

**> >system you've been provided.**

 

We have instructed Our Colonel that you Speak with Our Voice in this matter, as in all matters touching upon the impending Wedding.  Your replacement comconsoles and secure email services will be in place by tomorrow morning. (The techs will be on overtime as necessary)  And the process of archiving copies of prior correspondence to host machines outside your control has already ceased. 

 

Your instincts, training, and insistence on proper security, (as well as mannerly construction of correspondence) can never be faulted, though I suspect in this case the concern arises from habitual discipline rather than considered assessment.  Surely, you can't suppose anyone would seriously attempt to hack into the ImpWed mail servers and leak your message traffic to the public? But if so, who?

 

Actually, nevermind.  I have every confidence that if and when you glean actionable intelligence on such matters you will inform appropriate (what else?) persons through the correct (of course) channels without delay (as usual.) You are as reliable as the stones beneath Our feet.

Love,

G-xxxxx

 

========= Threaded Message Follows ================

 

Senior Chief Knowledge Systems Support Command: Colonel VPxxxxxx directing,

TO: Social Secretary of the Imperial Residence

RE:  Imperial Wedding Staff Expansion Equipage

 

Madame,

The comconsoles and master controllers your office has been provided completely meet the standards and functional requirements of your mission and the duties of your subordinates. In particular, the devices are available NOW, and in whatever reasonable quantity your office and its new, increased, personnel load may identify. I'm sure you agree your team will only get larger as your unique project progresses. That my command has such high-security devices already in inventory, for your use, is fortuitous for both of us in time and in funds.  I will not support your request for other, newer, devices.

You are correct that models of this production vintage were, at one time, deployed within the Imperial Security Headquarters building. I consider that history a recommending feature.  I also assure you all the individual comconsoles and system masters delivered to you are unused, clean, new in box and so can NOT have been compromised by outside misuse, recorders, diverters, or taps. You are not "getting ImpSec cast-offs, left-overs and failed experiments".  Provided only that you rigorously control the use of connecting decryption cables -- one end of which, you may see, is physically incompatible with any other communication device besides those just now installed in your Office -- no copies of your messages or information content can possibly reach the worlds outside the Residence. I consider your security concerns misplaced. I would be happy to review the technical specifications with you at a time of your convenience in order to re-assure you of their suitability to your needs.

I had not, until receiving your message, realized your influence in the user-requirements of the latest messaging system affording the "end-posting" and similar features.  It's not a feature I myself use.  I agree that giving users more choices about the structure of written conversations is a desirable technical advance.  I agree that that feature in the very most recent iteration of devices is convenient for those who prefer -- or like you, insist on -- end-posting.  I don't agree it's wise to junk the devices I've just provided you because users preferring end-post structure have to spend an extra minute manually formatting messages to suit that preference.

In short, I simply don't find your request reasonable on either security or usability grounds. Even if I agreed with you, new emergency-priority procurement would take at least three weeks. And I happen to suspect your history of personal objections to the quoting and threading features clouds your judgment with regard to the security issue.  Please make do with the system you've been provided.

 

========= Threaded Message Follows ================

TO: Senior Chief Knowledge Systems Support Command: Colonel VPxxxxxx directing,

FROM: Social Secretary of the Imperial Residence

RE:  Imperial Wedding Staff Expansion Equipage

 

Colonel,

 

You had informed me:

**> Your requisition of 30 modern comconsoles is approved... Installation will begin no **

**> later than Wednesday of this week. **

The first of twenty-two Comconsoles you have provided my expanded Protocol Office has been installed -- two days late -- at my desk. I've tried it, and I recognize it. And I reject it - along with the remaining twenty-one historical artifacts you've relegated to my custody.

These antiques are both un-secured and user-hostile, and I insist they be replaced immediately. I happen to recognize the style of console as a design that was rejected by the Imperial Security Services over fifteen years ago. Any child -- at least, any pair of mischief makers - can breach the so-called protections established for the message traffic and release information to outside, unauthorized, viewers. The device installed along my current console also immediately tapped into my archives and began making un-authorized copies. Now, the private and secure files I have accumulated over the years are suddenly exposed by and upon the device you've foisted into my office. The prospect of some of these messages reaching public view leaves me aghast.  And the potential for attacks upon the Imperial Wedding, attendant guests, and against members of my family is now vastly greater due to uncontrolled proliferation within your information automatons.

Adding quite literal insult to injury, these ImpSec cast-offs, left-overs and failed experiments ignore my past decade of efforts assisting your command. The consoles pre-date the great deal of time I have spent in designing the usability features of contemporary messaging systems. I have invested days of my rapidly-dwindling store of years writing specifications, attending meetings, and debating with unmannerly technicians about how messages should be structured. And, necessarily, how the structure of message SYSTEMS affords or afflicts the ability of users to communicate clearly. You could find my initials, or the seal of my Protocol Office, on any number of Requirement Documents and Change Requests regarding the trimming of excessively quoted material, or the correct attribution of those quotes, or usefully nesting text within message threads, or offering traditional (polite) users the means of appending thoughts to a communication rather than piling on blather at the top of a mysterious un-read text-string.  (To use the abominable terminology which with you may be familiar, my changes allow "end-posted" threads rather than the "top posts" these obsolete offenders impose upon conversations. ) Now, in the most critical mission of my office and in the twilight of my years you impose upon me tools to make my tasks more difficult and time-consuming. Installing the balance of your offered equipment would require each message my staff touches to be manually edited for form and style. 

This entire situation is entirely unacceptable.  Please fulfil my original requisition, as placed, without further delay.

 

**Author's Note:**

> The problem of top-posting is sadly one even Alys, with benefit of Gregor's magic finger, has already failed to solve.


End file.
